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It’s just the latest sign that the pilgrimage to Trump’s criminal trial in New York has become a new litmus test for Trump loyalty inside the GOP ahead of November. Then, the GOP members joined Trump in his motorcade – including the Republican candidate challenging GOP Rep. Bob Good, who has tried to cozy up to Trump after initially endorsing Florida Gov. President, we’ve got your back,” GOP Rep. Andy Ogles said outside the courthouse. Gaetz along with Boebert and GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who were all in New York on Thursday, missed the vote. GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene sparked outrage when she went after Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s appearance and Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s intelligence, with the committee meeting devolving into a heated sparring match.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump’s, Trump, GOP Sen, Rick Scott of, Mike Johnson – who’s, “ There’s, It’s, it’s, Johnson, Lauren Boebert, Ralph Norman of, ”, Doug Burgum, Ohio Sen, J.D, Vance, Rick Scott, Vivek, Ramaswamy, Todd Blanche, Sen, We’ve, Eric, Bob Good, Ron DeSantis –, “ Mr, we’ve, Andy Ogles, ” Norman, “, Matt Gaetz, Stormy Daniels, Andrew Kelly, Reuters Legislating, Merrick Garland, Joe BIden’s, Robert Hur –, Andy Biggs, Biden, Anna Paulina Luna, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jasmine Crockett’s, devolving, haven’t, “ Greene, johnny, suzy, latelys, Greene –, –, Boebert, Greene, “ Lauren Boebert, ” Boebert Organizations: CNN, Trump, he’s, GOP, Republicans, ”, North Dakota Gov, Manhattan Criminal, Caucus, Capitol, White House, Republican, Florida Gov, US Capitol Police, U.S, Reuters, Judiciary, Democratic Rep Locations: Manhattan, New York, Rick Scott of Florida, Colorado, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Ohio, New York City, Trump, U.S, Capitol Hill, Israel, Gaza, Gaetz, Alexandria

☆ Trump's hush-money trial is almost over. Deliberations could begin Thursday — especially if Trump doesn't testify.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Read previewAfter one week of jury selection and four weeks of prosecution testimony, Donald Trump's New York hush-money trial is now in its home stretch. Then, the defense case will begin. "I'm doing everything possible to avoid big breaks between summations, jury charge, jury instructions, and deliberations," Merchan told the parties Thursday. AP/Christine CornellThursday: Deliberations could beginAgain, if the scheduling stars align, deliberations could begin Thursday, the last trial day before the four-day holiday. AdvertisementBefore deliberations can begin, jurors need to hear the entirety of the defense case — with or without Trump.

Persons: —, Donald Trump's, Juan Merchan, Trump, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Julia Nikhinson, Cohen, Trump's, Todd Blanche, Susan Hoffinger, Blanche, — Bradley, Smith, Juan Merchan Jane Rosenberg, Christopher Conroy, Merchan's, Conroy, Merchan, Will Trump, Matt Gaetz, Mike Segar, Judge Cannon, Aileen Cannon, Christine Cornell Organizations: Service, Business, AP, Commission, Prosecutors, Reuters, Federal Election, Trump Locations: York, Florida, summations

☆ Michael Cohen gives Donald Trump his best day in hush money trial so far
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Donald Trump finally had a good day in court. But on Thursday, he got to savor his former fixer-turned-enemy Michael Cohen wobbling on the stand under a fearsome cross-examination. And now, the prosecution faces a stiff challenge in repairing the damage when they get to their redirect examination of Cohen’s testimony following the close of cross-examination next week. “I think it was a very interesting day, it was a fascinating day. And it also raises the possibility that some jurors might believe that they have been lied to by Cohen earlier in the trial.

Persons: Donald Trump, Michael Cohen wobbling, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, “, ” Ryan Goodman, CNN’s Erin Burnett, ” Trump, Matt Gaetz, Trump, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Daniels, ’, Keith Schiller, Schiller, …, ” Blanche, President Trump, doesn’t, ”, Juan Merchan, Nikki Lotze, “ Jim, Norm Eisen, ” Eisen, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, George Conway, ” Cohen, kingpins, Cohen’s Organizations: CNN, GOP, Trump, NYU Law, Florida, Conservative

☆ The Trump hush-money trial is thrusting reporters into an uncomfortable spotlight
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —The Donald Trump hush money trial is dragging reporters into uncomfortable territory and laying bare the complicated relationships journalists often have with sources. Michael Cohen, who continued to testify Thursday, invoked from the stand the names of several high-profile media figures, putting their relationships with the former Trump fixer in the spotlight. Cohen named The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman and MSNBC’s Katy Tur as reporters which he had established relationships with. And he spoke about having recorded dozens of phone calls with media figures, including former CNN boss Jeff Zucker. That reporters are playing a starring role in the trial is also a function of the Trump years.

Persons: Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Maggie Haberman, Katy Tur, John Santucci, Stormy Daniels, Jeff Zucker, Haberman, Trump, —, It’s, Todd Blanche Organizations: New York CNN, Trump fixer, The New York Times, ABC, CNN, Trump, Queens Locations: New York

Donald J. Trump’s criminal trial entered a critical and combative phase on Thursday as his lawyer grilled the prosecution’s star witness, Michael D. Cohen, about a medley of misrepresentations, manipulations and outright lies. Trying to destroy Mr. Cohen’s credibility with the jury, the lawyer, Todd Blanche, portrayed him as an unrepentant criminal and a serial deceiver who took the stand only to exact revenge on Mr. Trump. “There’s no doubt that you know what perjury means, correct?” Mr. Blanche asked Mr. Cohen. During the 2016 presidential campaign, he made a $130,000 payment to a porn star to suppress her account of a sexual liaison with Mr. Trump, who later reimbursed Mr. Cohen from the White House. Prosecutors accused Mr. Trump, who denies the sex, of falsifying related records so he could cover up the scandal for good.

Persons: Donald J, Michael D, Cohen, Todd Blanche, Trump, Mr, Trump’s, “, Blanche, Cohen’s Organizations: Mr

☆ The End Is Near: 5 Takeaways From Trump’s Criminal Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Kate Christobek | Jesse Mckinley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Michael D. Cohen, Donald Trump’s former fixer and current antagonist, faced a tough cross-examination on Thursday as the defense drilled into his past lies. Mr. Cohen, once known as a hothead and a paid bully, did not explode as he did when testifying last fall at Mr. Trump’s civil fraud trial. He seemed at times stressed under the searing questioning from Mr. Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche. Mr. Cohen is not done. Mr. Trump, 77, has denied the charges and having had sex with Ms. Daniels.

Persons: Michael D, Cohen, Donald Trump’s, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Mr, Trump, Barron’s, Stormy Daniels, Daniels Organizations: Mr Locations: Lake Tahoe, Nev

Here are the takeaways from Day 18 of the Trump hush money trial:A heated confrontation over a key phone callIt took several hours of cross-examination before Blanche finally turned to the evidence directly related to the case. Blanche says the texts show that at 8:04 p.m. Cohen texted Schiller the phone number of the teenager prank calling him. “Was it true for just that phone calls, or was it true for other phone calls too?”“You just said you don’t recall a phone call back in 2016. “Because these phone calls are things that I have been talking about for the last six years. There’s also the possibility, as CNN has reported, that former Cohen attorney Bob Costello could appear.

Persons: Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Blanche, Cohen, Keith Schiller –, Daniels, Barron, Blanche finally, Schiller, “, ”, ” Blanche, Cohen texted Schiller, Keith Schiller, ” Cohen, Keith, ” “, it’s, he’s, Darrell Scott, –, Trump’s, Jean Carroll, Blanche quizzed, Maggie Haberman –, Susan Necheles, Susan Hoffinger, Merchan, There’s, Bob Costello, Costello Organizations: CNN, Trump, Mr, White, Congress, New, New York Times, Prosecutors Locations: Trump, White, New York, summations

☆ Trump’s Lawyer Assailed Michael Cohen’s Credibility
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Whet Moser | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

During hours of bruising testimony in the Manhattan criminal trial of Donald Trump, his defense lawyer hounded Michael Cohen about his history of lying, criminal record and testimony that the defense called bogus. The lawyer, Todd Blanche, sought to cast Trump’s former fixer as an unrepentant fabricator who had lied under oath to exact revenge. In one moment of drama, Blanche suggested that Cohen had made up part of his testimony, expressing disbelief that Cohen could accurately recall years-old phone calls. Directly accusing Cohen of lying, Blanche said, “You can admit it.”“No sir, I can’t,” Cohen responded. He said that he could remember the calls because he had been talking about them for the past six years.

Persons: Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, Todd Blanche, fabricator, Blanche, Cohen, —, Stormy Daniels, ” Cohen Organizations: White Locations: Manhattan

☆ Live Updates: Cross-Examination of Michael Cohen to Continue in Trump Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Michael Wilson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Mr. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide the reimbursement of Mr. Cohen. Mr. Trump, 77, has denied the charges and says he did not have sex with Ms. Daniels. Mr. Blanche grilled Mr. Cohen about social media posts. Their defense of Mr. Trump follows a gag order that bars him from attacking jurors and witnesses like Mr. Cohen. Mr. Trump has already been cited for 10 violations so far and threatened with jail if he continues.

Persons: Michael D, Cohen, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, Trump’s, Juan M, Merchan, “, Mr, Blanche, ” Mr, Donald J, Mark Peterson, Cohen’s, Mike Johnson of, Johnson, ”, Doug Burgum, Vivek Ramaswamy Organizations: Mr, Prosecutors, Republican Party Locations: Manhattan, Lake, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, North

☆ Cohen cross-examination resumes at the most critical point of Trump’s trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Donald Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen goes back on the stand Thursday braced for another bruising day of cross-examination that is shaping up as the most crucial chapter in the first criminal trial of a former president. A suddenly compressed political calendarEvery criminal trial is a grave process since a defendant’s reputation and even liberty is on the line. The Supreme Court is expected to deliver its decision on Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution. That would almost certainly delay Trump’s trial in his federal election interference case until after the election, meaning he wouldn’t be brought to account for the worst attack on democracy in modern times before a subsequent election. In that case, the hush money trial may be the only one held before the election.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Trump, Trump’s, ”, Todd Blanche, CNN’s Paula Reid, Blanche –, Blanche, Reid, —, he’d, It’s, there’d, Joe Biden, Biden, they’d, he’s, Mike Johnson Organizations: CNN, Trump, “, ABC, GOP, Republican Locations: New York, Manhattan, Georgia, Florida

☆ Cohen Holds His Temper in Check During Hours of Cross-Examination
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Michael Wilson | More About Michael Wilson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Much has been said about Michael D. Cohen’s composure during his lengthy cross-examination, as if it were a facade that couldn’t be expected to hold much longer. Mr. Cohen, 57, is a central-casting New Yorker, brash and sharp-elbowed. After falling out with Mr. Trump, Mr. Cohen turned his fury on his former boss, once calling him a “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain” on social media. This week, Mr. Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, has tried to lure that earlier version of the witness into the spotlight, repeatedly goading him about lies he has told. Just minutes before Thursday’s lunch break, Mr. Blanche accused Mr. Cohen once again of an untruth, this time about a call to Mr. Trump’s bodyguard.

Persons: Michael D, ”, Cohen, Donald J, Trump, Trump’s, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Mr

☆ House to vote on bill to prevent Biden from withholding weapons to Israel as GOP ramps up pressure on Democrats
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Clare Foran | Melanie Zanona | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The House vote has seemingly been partly designed to put pressure on Democrats and is expected to expose divisions within the party over the issue. The bill is unlikely to be taken up in the Democratic-led Senate and the White House has said that Biden would veto the bill if Congress passed it. The Biden administration on Tuesday began the early stages of a process to move ahead with a new $1 billion arms deal for Israel, according to two congressional sources. The move comes as the Biden administration has paused the shipment of 2,000-pound bombs and 500-pound bombs to Israel, citing opposition to the weapons being used in the densely populated areas of Rafah. Biden has come under extraordinary pressure, including from some members of his own party, to limit shipments of arms amid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel ”, Adam Smith, “, ” Smith, ”, Kevin Liptak, Kylie Atwood Organizations: CNN, GOP, Congress, State Department, Defense Department, National Security Council, Democratic, White, Tuesday, House Democratic, Hamas, Israel, ” Democratic, House Armed Services Committee Locations: Israel, Gaza, United States, Rafah

☆ Cohen’s Cross-Examination to Continue as Trump Trial Enters Homestretch
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Michael Wilson | More About Michael Wilson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The questioning of Mr. Cohen, who was Donald J. Trump’s former fixer, is the beginning of the end of the trial, which began April 15 and could conclude before Memorial Day weekend. On Tuesday, Mr. Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche came out swinging, suggesting that Mr. Cohen had referred to him personally on social media with a vulgarity. Mr. Blanche went on to ask about Mr. Cohen’s longtime habit of talking to reporters, his ignoring requests from prosecutors to stop speaking and his vitriol toward Mr. Trump. Mr. Cohen, who puts out podcasts and TikTok videos, has suggested that Mr. Trump belongs in a cage like an “animal” and referred to him as a “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain.”In court, Mr. Cohen responded calmly and matter-of-factly, avoiding any outbursts or gaffes that could hurt his credibility. Mr. Cohen testified that Mr. Trump directed him to pay $130,000 in hush money to Stormy Daniels, a porn star, to suppress her account of a sexual rendezvous with the former president in a Lake Tahoe, Nev., hotel in 2006.

Persons: Michael D, Cohen, Mr, Donald J, Trump’s, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Trump, ”, Stormy Daniels Locations: Lake Tahoe, Nev

☆ Trump lawyer yells at Michael Cohen in cross-examination over call about Stormy Daniels
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Michael Cohen, a former attorney for Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump, heads to court for second day of cross-examination at Trump's criminal trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, New York City, U.S., May 16, 2024. A defense attorney for Donald Trump yelled at prosecution witness Michael Cohen during cross-examination about a 2016 phone call at issue in the former president's criminal hush money trial. The defense lawyer, Todd Blanche, demanded that Cohen tell him whether Cohen had lied during direct examination in saying he made an Oct. 24, 2016, call to Trump to reveal he had gotten porn star Stormy Daniels to agree not to go public with her claim of having sex with Trump. Blanche confronted Cohen with text messages from that same day which suggested he was calling then-Trump Organization security chief Keith Schiller that night because of concerns about harassing text messages Cohen was receiving as Trump ran for president that year. "I believe I also spoke to Mr. Trump about the Stormy Daniels matter," Cohen told Blanche in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Persons: Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Stormy Daniels, Todd Blanche, Cohen, Blanche, Keith Schiller, Trump, Daniels Organizations: Republican, Trump, Trump Organization Locations: New York City, U.S, Manhattan

☆ Analysis: Cohen gets a breather after bruising cross-examination as Trump looks on
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Blanche took Cohen through a long list of the insults he’s unleashed at Trump since becoming estranged from his former mentor, highlighting his penchant for serial lying. He drew jurors’ attention to a social media post in which Cohen wore a T-shirt that depicted Trump in jail, as he spun a narrative of bias and obsession. A key legal conundrum is whether prosecutors have so far succeeded in validating the legal theory behind the case. That foreboding realization was exacerbated by a new posse of Trump supporters at the courthouse on Tuesday, including House Speaker Mike Johnson. While Cohen’s reluctance to offer yes-and-no answers came across at times as flippant and confrontational, he did not appear to say or do anything to torpedo the prosecution case.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Michael Cohen, don’t, Cohen, ”, Todd Blanche, president’s, didn’t, he’s, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Blanche, ” Cohen, he’d, ” Blanche, douchebag, ” Michael Moore, “, Moore, Juan Merchan, Will Trump’s, ” Shira Scheindlin, CNN’s Jake Tapper, ” Scheindlin, “ Cohen, Mike Johnson, ” Johnson, Andrew McCabe, Cohen’s, ” Moore, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, reimbursements, ’ ” Cohen Organizations: CNN, GOP, Trump, Middle, Middle District of, Louisiana Republican, Defense, FBI Locations: Ohio, Kentucky, Middle District, Middle District of Georgia, New York, Louisiana, Blanche, Manhattan

☆ Cohen on Cross: 5 Takeaways From Trump’s Criminal Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Jesse Mckinley | Kate Christobek | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Michael Cohen faced a fierce cross-examination on Tuesday afternoon in the criminal trial of Donald Trump, as the defense tried to tear down the prosecution’s key witness. Mr. Cohen was repeatedly attacked by Mr. Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche, who suggested he was being evasive on the stand, had selective amnesia and was a jilted former employee profiting off his hatred of the former president. Mr. Cohen, once Mr. Trump’s personal lawyer, has testified that Mr. Trump directed him to pay $130,000 in hush money to Stormy Daniels, a porn star, to suppress her account of a sexual rendezvous with him in a Lake Tahoe hotel in 2006. Mr. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide the reimbursement of Mr. Cohen. Mr. Trump, 77, has denied the charges and says he did not have sex with Ms. Daniels.

Persons: Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Cohen, Todd Blanche, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Daniels Organizations: Mr Locations: Lake

☆ Trump’s Defense Cast Michael Cohen as Untrustworthy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Matthew Cullen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Todd Blanche, the lead lawyer defending Donald Trump in his New York criminal trial, wasted no time today before aggressively questioning the prosecution’s star witness, Michael Cohen. “Sure,” Cohen replied. The cross-examination, which will continue on Thursday after the trial takes a day off, could prove to be crucial. Cohen is the prosecution’s 19th and final witness, and likely the most important one. During his two days of testimony, he has claimed that Trump knew at the time that the 2016 hush-money payment, which is at the center of the felony charges against him, would be falsely labeled legal expenses.

Persons: Todd Blanche, Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Blanche, Trump’s, Trump, ”, ” Blanche, ” Cohen Organizations: Trump Locations: New York

“Sounds like something I would say,” responded Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer. The question set the tone for the cross-examination of the Manhattan district attorney’s key witness in the hush money trial against the former president. For roughly two hours, Blanche began a cross-examination to try to discredit Cohen’s allegations against Trump. Blanche then asked whether Cohen called Trump a “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain.”“That also sounds like something that I said,” Cohen said. “You were telling the truth, correct?” Blanche asked in regards to the compliments Cohen gave Trump.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, Blanche, Cohen, Cohen “, ”, Trump’s, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Daniels, Joshua Steinglass, Juan Merchan, ” Cohen, “, Donald Trump, ’ ” Cohen, Trump Blanche, ” Blanche, Blanche . Trump, Robert Mueller’s, Jay Sekulow, –, Susan Hoffinger, Florida Sen, Rick Scott, Sen, J.D, Vance of Ohio, Doug Burgum, Mike Johnson, Byron Donalds, Cory Mills, Vivek Ramaswamy, Johnson, Lara Trump, Eric Trump, ” Ramaswamy, ” Trump Organizations: CNN, Trump, Trump . Assistant, Trump –, Federal, Commission, FBI, Trump Organization, North Dakota Gov, Republican National Committee Locations: Manhattan, Russia, United States, New York, Florida, Louisiana

Blanche grilled Cohen — the prosecution's star witness in Trump's New York criminal hush-money trial — about the many times that Cohen insulted both Trump and himself on social media. Blanche said as he questioned Cohen about an April 23 TikTok Cohen made just days after the historic trial began. While questioning Cohen, Blanche then asked him about his referring to Trump as "a boorish cartoon misogynist." Michael Cohen, the ex-lawyer for former President Donald Trump, departs his home in Manhattan to testify in Trump's criminal hush-money trial. Prosecutors allege Trump illegally disguised records reimbursing Cohen for a $130,000 hush-money payment made to Daniels ahead of 2016 election.

Persons: —, Donald Trump's, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, Blanche, Cohen, Trump, douchebag, TikTok Cohen, Cohen deadpanned, Donald Trump, Mike Segar Cohen's, Juan Merchan, Jvlebw8A1O, Jacob Shamsian ⚖️, Cohen's, Susan Hoffinger, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, reimbursing Cohen Organizations: Service, Business, REUTERS, MeidasTouch Network, Trump, White, Prosecutors Locations: Trump's New York, Manhattan, ., Tahoe

AdvertisementDonald Trump sits next to his attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove during the former president's criminal hush-money trial in Manhattan. Eric Trump listens as his father, Donald Trump, speaks to the media in the courtroom hallway during the former president's criminal hush-money trial. Vance listens as Donald Trump speaks to the media in the Manhattan courthouse where his hush-money trial is taking place. AdvertisementFormer President Donald Trump speaks alongside his wife, former first lady Melania Trump, during a rare joint appearance as they arrived to vote in Florida's primary election. "There was no crime," Donald Trump railed Tuesday as he spoke to reporters in the courtroom hallway.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Michael Cohen —, Vivek Ramaswamy, Mike Johnson, Doug Burgum, Byron Donalds, Cory Mills, Donald Trump's, Eric Trump, Lara Trump, Todd Blanche, Emil Bove, Craig Ruttle, Trump, Johnson, Cohen, Justin Lane, Susan Hoffinger, Ohio Sen, J.D, Vance, Nicole Malliotakis, Alabama Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Brenna Bird, Steve Marshall, Mark Peterson, Michael Cohen, Florida Sen, Rick Scott, Ken Paxton, Katie Phang, Jeanine Pirro, Andrew Guiliani, Rudy Giuliani, Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, CNN's Anderson Cooper, Giorgio Viera, reimbursing Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, I've Organizations: Service, Trump, Business, GOP, Mike Johnson , North Dakota Gov, Florida Rep, cochair, Republican, Vance , New York, Alabama, Conservative, Fox News, Getty, Prosecutors, Manhattan, Attorney's Locations: York, Manhattan, Mike Johnson ,, Florida, Cory Mills of Florida, Washington, Donalds, Ohio, Vance ,, Alabama, Iowa, Texas, Tahoe

☆ Opinion: Did Trump’s defense think this strategy would work on Cohen?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The forceful direct examination of former Trump fixer-turned-star prosecution witness Michael Cohen concluded Tuesday in the Manhattan criminal trial of former President Donald Trump. But the cross was uneven and Cohen, like Stormy Daniels before him, held his own. Whether that will change in the days ahead remains to be seen, but in any event, the cross of Cohen got off to an inauspicious start. ), his anti-Trump podcast (showing bias, but Cohen owned it) and even selling anti-Trump merchandise (showing financial motive, but again failing to get a rise out of Cohen). However, even when Blanche confronted Cohen with his most inflammatory social media comments, such as calling Trump a “dictator douchebag” and a “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain,” Cohen was utterly unfazed.

Persons: Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Allen, Weisselberg, Daniels, Norm Eisen, Susan Hoffinger, ”, Hoffinger, “, Blanche, ” Cohen, Susan Necheles, Necheles, Judge Juan Merchan, douchebag ”, mercifully, Blanche’s Organizations: CNN, Trump fixer, Trump, Trump Organization, Trump “, Twitter Locations: Manhattan

Prosecutors say it’s entirely possible they could rest their case by the end of this week. Cohen himself was federally charged with campaign finance violations, tax crimes and lying to Congress in previous testimony. Judge to Cohen: Please stop talking: Trump attorney Todd Blanche urged Judge Juan Merchan on Friday to order Cohen to stop talking about the trial and Trump. Trump is not allowed to talk about Cohen because of the gag order in place. Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass responded that prosecutors have repeatedly instructed Cohen and all of the other witnesses in the case not to speak publicly about it.

Persons: Donald Trump, Cohen, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, He’s, Trump, Alvin Bragg’s, Todd Blanche, Judge Juan Merchan, Blanche, Joshua Steinglass, ”, Merchan, White, Madeleine Westerhout, Westerhout, Daniels, she’d, Read Organizations: Trump, Manhattan, White, White House

Cohen’s testimony ties together the prosecution’s allegations that Trump broke the law by falsifying business records to reimburse Cohen and conceal the hush money payment that Cohen said he made at Trump’s direction. Cohen described his conversations with Trump during the Daniels hush money negotiations, which prosecutors backed up using Cohen’s phone records to show when the two had spoken. Trump,” Cohen said. “Reimbursement of my money,” Cohen said. They joined Trump for the high-profile Cohen testimony, sitting in the gallery behind the former president at the defendant’s table.

Persons: CNN — Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Cohen, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, Todd Blanche, perjurer, David Pecker, Keith Davidson, Karen McDougal, Pecker, Davidson, Dylan Howard, Hope Hicks, “, ” Cohen, ”, Hoffinger, ” Hoffinger, “ Mr, Michael Cohen's, Melania, CNN “, Trump’s, reimbursements Cohen, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, “ David Dennison ”, Peggy Peterson ”, would’ve, ” –, McDougal, glanced, Hicks, Madeleine Westerhout, Cohen’s, wasn’t, Juan Merchan’s, Eric Trump, Susie Wiles, Sen, Rick Scott, J.D, Vance of Ohio, Tommy Tuberville, Nicole Malliotakis, Alina Habba Organizations: CNN, Trump, National Enquirer, Melania Trump, New York, Republican Locations: Yom Kippur, –, Trump, Cohen’s, Republic, Manhattan, Florida, Alabama, Staten, Iowa

☆ Trump’s former ‘thug’ Michael Cohen set for trial-defining testimony in hush money case
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Cohen’s testimony is set to be the critical moment of the hush money trial that could make Trump the first ex-president to be convicted of a crime. He has talked extensively about his desire to see President Trump go to prison. He has talked extensively about his desire to see President Trump’s family go to prison. He has talked extensively about President Trump getting convicted in this case,” Blanche said. While the hush money trial harks back to the 2016 election, its end game could play a significant role in the destiny of the White House eight years later.

Persons: CNN — Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s “, Trump, Stormy Daniels, —, Cohen, Daniels, ” Cohen, “, Matthew Colangelo, “ Cohen, ”, ” Colangelo, Anthony Scaramucci, Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, CNN’s Jake Tapper, Todd Blanche, Trump’s, ” Blanche, John Dean, Roy Cohn, He’s, Judge Juan Merchan, Fani Willis, Joe Biden, he’s Organizations: CNN, Trump, Republican, Trump Organization, House, Nixon White, “ CNN, Mr, Fulton, White House, GOP Locations: Russia, New York, Florida, Fulton County

“It was Michael Cohen,” Davidson responded. Cohen is the only witness who will testify about Trump’s alleged involvement in both the decision to pay Daniels and the plan to reimburse Cohen for advancing the money. Prosecutors allege that during the February meeting, Trump and Cohen agreed how Cohen would be paid back. Arguably the most negative assessment of Cohen came from Davidson, who negotiated the hush money deal with Cohen on Daniels’ behalf in 2016. “There were times where Mr. Cohen did things that you felt were not helpful to what you were trying to accomplish, right?” Bove asked Trump’s 2016 campaign press secretary.

Persons: Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, David Pecker, Hope Hicks, “, Daniels, Keith Davidson, Daniels ’, Gina Rodriguez –, “ Gina, Keith, ’ ” Davidson, ”, Joshua Steinglass, ” Davidson, Trump, Trump’s, Pecker, ” Steinglass, Todd Blanche, Elie Honig, Cohen’s, antagonizing Trump, Juan Merchan, Merchan, Cohen ’, Emil Bove, ” Pecker, Bove, Gary Farro, ” Farro, Davidson, ” Cohen, Christ, I’m, I’ve, ’ ”, Jeff McConney, ” McConney, Matthew Colangelo, Hicks, –, ” Bove, ” Hicks Organizations: CNN, Trump, National Enquirer, American Media Inc, Prosecutors, Office, Daniels, Trump Organization Locations: Manhattan, Trump’s New York, Moscow, thedirty.com, Washington

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